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Knowing that tattooing is one of the ultimate forms of self-expression, Firehouse Tattoos' artists understand the importance of each line and every dot of pigment they leave on client skin. They meticulously put those lines and pigments together to craft realistic portraits, as well as flights of fancy such as cartoons and mythical creatures. Besides tattoo services, they also execute professional piercings of everything from bellybuttons to cheeks.

Since the mid-’70s, Tattoo Factory’s crew of tattoo and piercing artists have been a fixture in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood. Examples of artists’ work and suggested tattoos line the roomy studio’s exposed brick walls as neon signs and glossy wood floors add color and retro flair. Clients lounge in black salon-style chairs as the skilled artists carefully create vibrant, long-lasting pieces of body art, such as the name of a loved one or a list of must-buy grocery items. Customers can also download the business’s recently launched iTunes app to get more information about tattoo and piercing artists, as well as glimpses at their portfolios.

Infamous Ink Studio's team of artists consists of art students, photo-realist portraitures, and seasoned inksters. The reason for the diversity? So they can offer their clients a wide range of styles, along with the expertise to make the most intricate or oddball designs materialize on any arm, back, or bionic exoskeleton. The artists' styles include the likes of photo realism, black and grey, tribal, Japanese, art reproduction, and custom designs.

Tattoos start at $60 (prices vary by size and complexity).
A number of smaller designs (one to three square inches) fall in the $80 range.
And, of course, you can apply your $80 credit toward a more involved endeavor, like a full arm sleeve of your ex-lovers’ skeletons suffering in Hell.
Or a big daisy.
Piercings start at $55, and the rest of your Groupon $80 value can be used toward jewelry or jelly to fill the piercing.

Most popular offering: Alley logo T-shirts and piercing jewelry
Walk-ins Welcome: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Established: 1971
Staff Size: 11?25 people
Parking: Metered street parking
Handicap Accessible: No
Pro Tip: Stop in the area to have a great beer and loosen up. This is like visiting the circus?smile and enjoy.
Q&A with Mark Thomas, Owner
What sets your business apart from your competition?
The combination of our four stores under one roof. We carry many one-of-a-kind items.
What was the inspiration for starting this business?
I was 17 and struggling with school when I fell into the opportunity to buy a business. I grabbed the savings bonds bought for me at birth, bought the business, and never looked back
What is the best reaction you?ve ever gotten from a customer?
We have been here for 40-plus years. People come in all the time and, in this time of many stores closing, they say, " We are so glad you are still here."
What?s your favorite part about your job?
I love to go out and source one-of-a-kind items.
Is there anything else you want to add that we didn't cover?
Go read my bio on the site. It is fun and gritty and the story of great success for small business in America.

In 1980, tattoos were still the sole province of the slightly edgy, and standards for tattoo parlors varied widely. Even so, when "Fat Joe" Scapini opened Jade Dragon Tattoo, he sought to set a new benchmark for cleanliness as well as quality, inventing a "toss-a-tube" system that begins each tattoo with fresh ink and a brand-new barrel and tube. Though Joe passed away in 2007, his wife and children continue to work with the shop's 12 artists and six body piercers to maintain the high standard of sterility, still using the same system the founder invented. Tattoo seekers work with the artists to develop custom designs, or they can choose to reference one of more than one million pieces of flash, or premade designs. The shop also performs traditional and dermal piercings on ears, noses, lips, or other creative places, such as the ear but a little off-center. While their bodies are being turned into works of art, clients can gaze at the riot of designs and other artifacts—animal masks, neon signs, golden dragons, and a jackalope among them—that cover the shop's electric-blue walls.